Character biography

The Man Beast was once an ordinary wolf that is captured and mutated on Mount Wundagore by the High Evolutionary - a being intent on creating an army of New Men from animals. While the wolf was mutated by "Isotope C" and the Evolutionary's genetic accelerator, the High Evolutionary is attacked by the Thunder God Thor, who was attempting to find his mortal love, Jane Foster. The delay is costly, as the wolf is overexposed to the isotope and pushed to physical and mental perfection. The process also instills the creature with an utter hatred of all other forms of life. The High Evolutionary called his creation a "Super Beast" - which promptly escapes and uses the High Evolutionary's genetic accelerator equipment to create an army of followers that attack its creator's own New Men while he attacks Thor and the High Evolutionary. The Super Beast is defeated by Thor, with the High Evolutionary then placing the unconscious Super Beast and his defeated army of New Men in a rocket. The rocket is then launched into deep space, in the hope that the Super Beast would never be seen again. Thor vol. 1, #134 - 135

The creature, now calling itself the Man Beast, lands with its army on Counter-Earth - a planet located on the other side of the Sun and also created by the High Evolutionary. The Man Beast, seeking to beome a conqueror, poses as Counter-Earth's United States President Rex Carpenter. He and his army begin to corrupt Counter-Earth by introducting evil, attempting to destroy Counter-Earth. The High Evolutionary sends Adam Warlock, who after a lengthy war defeats the Man Beast and his followers with help from the High Evolutionary. Marvel Premiere vol. 1, #1 - 2 + Power of Warlock vol. 1, # 1 - 8 The Hulk is also present on Counter-Earth at one point. The Man-Beast battles the Hulk and Adam Warlock on Counter-Earth, and executed Adam Warlock. However, the Man-Beast is then devolved into his animal form by a resurrected Adam Warlock.Incredible Hulk vol. 1, #176 - 178 The Man Beast is restored to humanoid form and manages to escape Counter-Earth and eventually finds his way to the true Earth. Disguised as the Hate-Monger, he sponsored the Legion of Light cult headed by Brother Power and Sister Sun. He is thwarted by Spider-Man, Razorback, and Flash Thompson. Caught in an explosion and buried under tons of debris, the Man Beast is almost killed, and takes many years to regenerate. Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 1, #13 - 15

He eventually re-emerges and allying himself with the Bi-Beast comes into conflict with Thor once more, this time aided by Avengers teammate Iron Man. Thor vol. 1, #316 - 317 Defeated again, the Man Beast later discovers the existence of the Infinity Gems and manages to steal four of the gems from his old foe, Adam Warlock. Warlock eventually stops the Man Beast and is only prevented from killing him by Captain America. Warlock & The Infinity Watch vol. 1, #3 - 6 The Man Beast is finally stopped when the High Evolutionary, with the aid of the mutant hero Quicksilver, reverts the creature back into a wolf. Quicksilver vol. 1, # 1 - 6, 8 - 12

Powers and abilities

The Man-Beast was a perfect synthesis of man and wolf. Thor vol. 1, #134 -135 The Man-Beast is a wolf evolved to the peak of lupine and human physical and mental potential by the High Evolutionary's genetic accelerator. The creature had superstrength; speed and durability; acute senses of hearing, smell, and taste, and could see into the infrared and ultraviolet range of the light spectrum and superior fighting skills. The Man-Beast was also capable of mentally projecting beams of force; erecting force fields strong enough to repel Thor's hammer, Mjolnir and anti-matter fields capable of disintgrating positive matter. The Man-Beast also used other technological aids such as a personal teleportation device, and was capable of constructing weapons and inventions that rivaled those of his creator, such as a Hate Ray.

The Man-Beast could also communicate telepathically with the New Men of his creation and hypnotically control beings of lesser will power.